For vacation-hungry tourists, being able to use services offered by hotels and guesthouses means a chance to return to their favourite activities, while for owners and employees in the hotel industry – a chance to run their business. However, due to the pandemic, they have to operate under strict sanitary restrictions. Disinfection of hotel rooms and shared areas is an absolutely crucial issue on which tourism industry workers offering accommodation services must place special emphasis these days. How should they prepare for it? Obviously, by equipping your facility with reliable and safe disinfectants.
Regulations for hotels and guesthouses
The lifting of certain restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the reopening of hotels, guesthouses, holiday resorts and holiday centres, allows these facilities to welcome guests again, both those travelling on business as well as those visiting for typical tourist and leisure purposes. However, it is necessary to respect sanitary regulations, which allow for no more than 50% occupancy in such places. In addition to the fact that hotels can accommodate up to half of the total number of guests only, it is still forbidden to eat in hotel restaurants. Meals can be ordered only as takeaway or room service. Only guests, staff and suppliers are allowed to stay on the premises of hotels and guesthouses.
A safe hotel in the times of pandemic – guidelines of the Ministry of Health
In order for hotels to operate safely in the times of epidemic threat, the Minister of Health and the Chief Sanitary Inspector have prepared special guidelines for owners and employees of such businesses. Naturally, one of the basic responsibilities of hotels is thorough disinfection. Hand sanitiser stations should be easily accessible throughout the entire facility, and hotel guests and employees are required to cover their mouths and noses. Hand sanitiser dispensers should be located particularly at the entrance to the facility, at the exit from toilets, near lifts and at the reception.
At the end of the guests’ stay, it is mandatory to disinfect the room using suitable products and biocidal products. However, cleaning during the guest’s stay can be done only if requested by the guest. Also, restrictions apply to the number of people using saunas, swimming pools, and other facilities available on the hotel premises at the same time.
What kind of disinfectants are recommended for hotels?
Considering the aforementioned requirements, it is reasonable to ask how to disinfect hotel rooms to ensure maximum safety for guests while effectively preventing the spread of pathogenic microorganisms. It is important to know that certain areas require the use of specific solutions. Safe disinfection of lodgings includes, among others:
- hotel room disinfectants,
- hand sanitisers and antibacterial soaps,
- effective cleaning of hotel kitchens,
- disinfection of large surfaces and shared areas.
Hotel rooms disinfectants
Cleaning rooms that are used by guests every day is one of the biggest challenges in the times of pandemic. In this case, it is advisable to obtain effective cleaning and disinfecting agents for various hard surfaces: floors, furniture and other equipment. It is important that, besides excellent cleaning properties, detergents and other cleaning agents should also contain effective bactericidal and fungicidal additives. One example may be Roko Professional Anti-Virus+, a disinfectant which, in addition to effective cleaning and bacteria neutralisation, is completely safe and can also be used on surfaces that come in contact with food.
Hand sanitisers and antibacterial soaps
Effective hotel disinfection also means providing personal protection products, such as liquid soaps, hand gels and lotions. As for liquid soaps, it is recommended to choose antibacterial products such as Roko Professional Duo Active. Research shows that antibacterial products are much more effective at eliminating bacteria and other microorganisms than traditional soaps, and therefore they are perfect for hotels, medical facilities and SPA resorts.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic of SARS-CoV-2, hand sanitiser dispensers have become an integral piece of equipment in public spaces. From a wide range of such products, it is advisable to choose those based on ethyl alcohol with a concentration of at least 70%, such as Roko Professional Anti-Virus Aloe. Hand gels and lotions should also contain substances that prevent skin drying and fragrance additives that leave a pleasant scent for a long time.
Effective cleaning of hotel kitchens
Although hotel restaurants remain closed, kitchens may supply take-away and room service meals. It is thus the responsibility of caterers to ensure proper antibacterial protection of dishes and kitchen equipment. To clean countertops and food service equipment, it is necessary to choose dedicated hotel disinfectants with a safe composition, approved for food contact, For example Roko Professional M1 Superlactic, a spray disinfectant recommended for the catering and food industry. It effectively removes most types of fungi, bacteria, spores and other microorganisms.
Disinfection of large surfaces and shared areas
Shared areas and large surfaces, especially corridors, reception, toilets, and leisure and recreation areas, require special solutions. Even though the number of visitors has been halved, hundreds of people may still pass through the lobby or toilets during the day. Therefore, effective disinfection should be based on efficient disinfectants such as sodium hypochlorite, as recommended by the World Health Organization. This agent is the active substance of many commercially available products for disinfecting offices, hospitals, beauty salons and hotels, and is completely safe for a health and environment. Sodium hypochlorite disinfection provides effective protection against viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms – not only in the times of the coronavirus pandemic. It is advisable to consider it a permanent element of hotel disinfection even after the return to full normality.
Disinfectants offered by PCC Group
Strict sanitary regulations coupled with effective and safe disinfection in hotels are one of the key factors in the possible decision about the full opening of such facilities. Therefore, it is important to apply the guidelines and meet the best standards by choosing reliable products. PCC Group offers a wide range of safe and effective cleaning agents, dedicated to all aspects of hotel services, even the minor ones. We invite you to acquaint yourself with our extensive catalogue of products, and offer you our professional consulting services.